Good Health News • Fall • 2013
Good Health News
Fall • 2013 Volume 6 Number 1
Better Sleep? Ditch the Technology
Health in Motion director Natan Gendelman discusses the effect of technology on the quality of sleep
In This Issue Better Sleep? Ditch the Technology ................................Page 1 Staying healthy ................................Page 2 Our Favorite Fall Fruits and Vegetables ................................Page 2 We Can Never Get Enough of Greenery ................................Page 3 Fall/Winter 2013 LIFE Program ................................Page 4
Today a lot of kids have been diagnosed with
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a lot of parents complain that their children do not get enough sleep. They talk of their children sleeping badly during the night, complaining of headaches, and that they lack concentration. Personal experience A very long time ago, my family and I were driving in Pennsylvania. My kid at that time, who is six years old, was playing Nintendo DS. He was over-excited, and was becoming very aggressive. He asked me to help him with the game and I came to sit with him. I started to play the game on NDS and after a few minutes I noticed that I myself started to get angry. I started to have a headache so I just turned the game console off. Reasons for Lack of Concentration If you think about this, besides the radiation and the loud music that comes with playing the game, you have to put a lot of concentration on the small screen on which small figures are moving. So if you do this once in a week, or once every two weeks for a short period of time, nothing will happen. However, if you sit on it for a couple of days for a good few hours, you will not only get a headache but you would not be able to concentrate on other things. Studies have shown that kids’ attention spans at school only last for forty-five minutes, that is why classes in school are scheduled to be only forty-five minutes around the world Connection Between Technology and Sleep However, when kids sit on a smartphone or a computer game for hours without moving, just staring at the screen, it will attribute to the lack of concentration that he has in other areas of life. In addition, when a kid plays violent games, especially in the evening, his brain cannot disconnect from the game for the night. Even when he is asleep, he continues to be in the game. Because of overexcitement, he cannot get enough quality sleep through the night. Technology can induce creativity and it could help with easier communication in our lives. I’m in favor of developing assisting technologies for people who have difficulty talking or expressing, but take care not to let your kids abuse technology and become addicted to it.
Health in Motion Rehabilitation (416) 250-1904 www.healthinmotionrehab.com
Good Health News • Fall • 2013
General Health ∂ staying healthy As the season of fall approaches, farmers markets are bustling with fruits and vegetable lovers scrambling to get their hands on some flavorful, nourishing produce. Here’s our picks of the healthiest and tastiest.
∂ Our Favorite Fall Fruits and Vegetables For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/flu/ and www.globalresearch.ca.
Apple picking anyone? Apples are harvested and show up in super-
markets around late September. They are great for eating on their own, or for the dessert lovers, applesauce is heavenly in pies and tarts. Studies show that apple juice reduces risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and fights aging. It is also proven that women who eat at least one apple a day are 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
Carrots
We love carrots here, they taste best in late fall and early spring. Mix carrots with a variety of other fruits like pears, strawberries or oranges and blend for super healthy fruit juices. Known for its rich content of Vitamin A, it is key for keeping our eyes healthy and promoting bone growth. Beta carotene, a major nutrient of carrots, has been hailed as the antioxidant that can fight cancer, protect cells, and boosts the immune system.
Sweet potato
Oh, sweet potatoes, the Thanksgiving staple. The best time to have this earthy vegetable is in November / December. You can bake them as they are in foil or slice them in thin pieces, add salt and put them in the oven to make crispy chips. They are also packed with Vitamin A and Beta Carotene, both powerful antioxidants.
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Good Health News • Fall • 2013
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∂ We can Never Get Enough of Greenery (Why the Outdoors is Good for You) We all know Mother Nature is the best source of health nourishment. What are some ways we can take advantage of this season of autumn to take in the best of the outdoors? Here are our tips:
Take a Walk Going outside for a walk in the park, or even better, the forest, is a great way to uplift your spirit. The fresh air, sounds and sights of birds, insects, animals and even just the swoosh of the wind on trees just has a calming and soothing effect on your soul. You could go for a walk during lunchtime, or arrange a camping trip with friends and family in the weekend. Smores on campfires. Mmhmmmmm.
Place Plants in Your Office/Home Only a few plants could make a huge difference in the workplace or in any room in your house. Plants have a function of purifying the air and filtering it to take away chemicals in many of our household products. There are so many elements that contaminate our air every day, such as toxins, pesticides, detergent fumes, mold, small fibers, bacteria, etc. Plants can do the absorbing for us, so that our lungs don’t have to take in so much of the harmful substances. Moreover, having plants around also gives us a sense that we’re being closer to nature. Sounds good to me.
Look Out Your Windows Brain studies have shown that scenes of natural landscapes boost creativity and excite the brain in the areas of emotion and imagination. Besides, you will feel more relaxed and less stressed. In fact, it is suggested that the more greenery you see, the better your brain functions. So when you’re in a cubicle, don’t forget to stretch every thirty to forty-five minutes to look out the window and see how beautiful nature was created to be.
Exercise Outdoors Instead of doing your regular treadmill routine in your local gym, why not jog at your neighbourhood park and take advantage of the fresh air and clear blue skies? Studies show that greenery can raise your mood by 12 per cent, and even if the weather is unpredictable, persevering through harsh conditions does toughen us up even more, no? Reduced stress, increased mental energy, uplifted moods. Does this not make you want to run out and hug a tree? Let’s reap the best benefits from our natural environment and remember that we were brought into a world with much natural beauty this fall.
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Good Health News • Fall • 2013
Learning Independent Function Everyday. That's LIFE. ∂ Here's what people have to say about our LIFE Program:
Mini Program For: kids 0-12 & 12-15 with CP, ABI or stroke Frequency: 1-3 times a week, 2-3 hours/day Duration: Ongoing as needed
“I feel we have gained a great amount of knowledge during the short period of time we’ve been coming to Health in Motion, and only wish we had learned about the program earlier.
We have noticed a big improvement and feel we’ve finally been given the knowledge we needed to teach our son how to move. He’s been Maxi Program breathing much better and making sounds. He’s much more alert and For: kids 0-12 & 12-15 with CP, ABI or stroke active. 1 month ago, we were told he should be put on a feeding tube, Frequency: 5 times a week, 3-5 hours/day and in two weeks, he’s made great improvements with eating and Duration: 4 weeks drinking. I have high hopes of Devon sitting independently and crawlContact us if you are interested in booking for ing. We now feel we know how to properly teach him. Nov-Dec 2013. 2014 dates are also available. For more information, visit our website: www.healthinmotionrehab.com.
The Health in Motion staff are great. They are positive, very informative and have given us hope that Devon is capable of doing all the things other children do.” Lisa & Clinton Hansard, Alliston, ON
Want to subscribe? Good Health News publishes articles about current health issues. The material in this newsletter is not copyrighted, and may be reproduced and shared with family and friends. Articles in GHN are for informational purposes only. If you have a health condition, please consult your physician or health care provider before following any advice. Good Health News is published by the Health in Motion Rehabilitation Clinic, Toronto, Ontario, (416) 250-1904, info@healthinmotionrehab.com. Previous issues of Good Health News are posted at: www.healthinmotionrehab.com. If you would like a subscription, or a copy of past issues, feel free to contact us. We hope you enjoyed this issue! -The Health in Motion Team
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